Spraying apparatus



Jan. 22, 1957 c. s. CORL 2,778,688

SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 19 53 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 25 //17/4.w/x//z C. S. CORL SPRAYING AFPARATUS Jan. 22, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed April 8, 1953 NOLLMHJSIO O l nbn United States Patent O SPRAYINGAPPARATUS Cady S. Corl, Minneapolis, Mimi., assignor to Hanson EquipmentCompany, South Belait, Ill., a corporation of Illinois V ApplicationApril 8, 1953, Serial No. 347,480

3 Claims. (Cl. 299-154) This invention relates to spray nozzles of thetype having an elongated orifice opening eccentrically from an internaldome-shaped recess or cavity'for producing a flat fan-shaped spraypattern. Such nozzles are particularly useful Outdoors in mobilespraying units and are adapted to be mounted on a vehicle with theirspray patterns directed laterally from the vehicle in a vertical plane.Nozzles of this type used heretofore have been unsatisfactory becausethe swath or strip covered by the spray in the forward movement of thevehicle is narrow :and the distribution of iiquids by the nozzles varieswidely throughout the area covered by the spray. That is, more liquidfalls in some areas adjacent the vehicle than falls in remote areascovered by the outer end portion of the spray. Moreover, the spray fromsuch prior art nozzles is in a vertical plane and therefore is subjectto drifting and a resulting unevenness of liquid distribution caused bywind. g

The primary object of the invention is to overcome the foregoingobjections of nozzles of the above character and provide an improvednozzle construction which produces a spray pattern covering asubstantially wider swath and distributing liquid more uniformly atdifferent distances from the nozzle than spray patterns of the prior artnozzles.

Another object is to provide a novel nozzle construction for producing aflat fan-shaped spray pattern which provides substantially uniformdistribution of liquid when directed in a generally horizontal plane aswell as a vertical plane and therefore is comparatively unaffected bywind conditions unfavorable to the use of prior nozzles.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing results by shapingone end portion of the eccentric nozzle orifice as a V and the other endportion of the orifice as a U wider than the maximum width of theV-shaped end portion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of aspraying unit showing the vertical spray patterns of a cluster of twonozzles embodying the novel features of the present invention.

Pig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle and the spraying unitthereon with the nozzle cluster in the same position as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view similar to Fig. 2 and showing thecluster adjusted for spraying in a horizontal plane.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the cluster and its mounting withthe nozzles positioned for spraying in a vertical plane.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged View similar to Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the nozzles positioned forhorizontal spraying.

Fig. 7 is an end view of a nozzle.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 7 but enlarged to ten timesthe actual size of the nozzle.

r' ice Pig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7 andshowing the actual size of the improved nozzle.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 10-10 ofFig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a chart illustrating the distribution patterns of theimproved nozzle used in different positions.

Fig. 12 is a development view of the eccentric orifice of the nozzle.

The present invention relates to spray nozzles of the type adapted toproduce :a flattened fan-shaped' spray pattern 57 and comprisinggenerally a cylindrical solid body 25 adapted on its exterior forconnection with a source of liquid under pressure and having an internalrecess or cavity 26 opening axially from one end of the body forcommunication with the source of pressure liquid. At its other or outerend portion, the cavity is dome-shaped and opens to the exterior of thebody through -an elongated orifice 32 opening eccentrically from thedome and defined by the lines of intersection between the internal wallsforming the recess and external walls 34 defining a V-shaped groove onthe exterior of the body.-

Liquid discharged under pressure from a nozzle of the type justdescribed radiates from the orifice 3-2 in a flattened fan-shaped 'spraypattern which, in service use, projects laterally from a moving vehicleto cover a swath or strip extending longitudinally of the vehicle path.Prior art nozzles of this type have been objectionable because thedistribution of liquid throughout the swath covered by this spraypattern is uneven, that is, widely difiering amounts of liquid fall atpoints spaced horizontally different distances from the nozzle in theplane of the pattern. Such prior nozzles are unsatisfactory for theadditional reason that the spray pattern is effective to the limiteddegree only when disposed in a vertical plane. Thus, when prior nozzlesare used Outdoors, the full pattern is exposed to horizontal winds whichcause drifting of the spray and an even greater unevenness of liquiddistribution.

To overcome the foregoing disadvantages of prior art nozzles, thepresent invention in one of its aspects contemplates a construction ofthe nozzle 22 by which liquid is thrown farther and distributed moreuniformly than is possible with the prior nozzles and which has a spraypattern substantially as effective in a horizontal plane as in avertical plane. The results achieved with the improved nozzle areillustrated in Fig ll where the curves 23 and 24 represent the liquiddistribution of the improved nozzle when spraying in vertical andhorizontal planes respectively. It will be seen from the curve 23 thatthe improved nozzle, when spraying in a vertical plane, distributesliquid substantially uniformly from a distance of one foot from thenozzle to a point spaced farther than twentyfive feet from the nozzle.When in a generally horizontal plane, the spray from the improved nozzle(see !curve 24) falls substantially uniformly from a point spacedapproximately three feet from the 'nozzle to a point approximatelytwenty-four feet from the nozzle.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 10 and 12, the nozzle 22 comprises the body25 of circular cross section having the internal dome-shaped recess 26(Fig. 9) in a rounded outer end portion of the body and an exteriormounting fiange 27 adjacent the other or inner end of the body. Therecess 26 is defined by a cylindrical wall 28 and a rounded end wall 29both coaxial with the body and merging with each other at the outer endof the cylindrical wall. At its inner end, the cylindrical Wall mergeswith a conical wall 30 extending through the inner end portion of thebody and defining an inlet to the recess.

Liquid is discharged from the recess 26 through the elongated orifice32'which opens eccentrically from the recess and is defined at one endby the lines 33 of intersection between the rounded recess wall 29 andthe two walls 34 defining the V-shaped external groove which issymmetrical about a plane including the axis of the recess 26. Thegroove extencls into the top and one side of the rounded outer endportion of the body 25 and is formed by a milling Cutter (not shown) ofV -shaped cross section in the manner described in Patent No. 2,619,388.The groove walls intersect the rounded dome wall 29 at a point adjacentbut spaced from the top of the dome and the lines 33 of intersectiondiverge from this point and curve first upwardly across the dome top andthen downwardly on the other side thereof as shown in Figs. 8

and l2 to points 35 approximately midway between the orifice ends.

The other end portion of the orifice 32 of the improved nozzle 22 isU-shaped as shown in full in Figs. lO and. 12. Thus, from the points 35of termination of .the diverging defining edges 33 of the improvedorifice 32, the latter is defined by two latcrally spaced generallyparallel edges 36 which substantially merge with the ends of thediverging edges and extend thereirom downwardly along the side of therounded wall 29 and the cylindrical wall 23 to pointsspaced shortdistance from the intersection between the bottom of the V-shaped grooveand the cylindrical wall 23. At these points, the laterally spaced edges36 merge with a rounded edge 37 defining the end of the orifice.

in the present instance, the Uchaped end portion of the orifice 32 isdefined by the intersection between the cylindrieal and rounded recesswalls 28 and 29 and the walls 3.', of a U-shaped groove symmetricaiabout the plane of the V-shaped groove and located on the side of thedome axis opposite the V-shaped orifice end. The U- shaped groove isformed by a cylindrical milling cutter 39 which` while it is beingrotated about an axis normal to the dome axis, is moved longitudinallyof the latter. The cutter is moved into cutting engagement with theV-shaped groove walls 34. from a position shown in full in Pig. 9 abovethe dome top to a position shown in phantom in Figs. 9 1G in which thecutter has been moved in to the point of intersection between the bottomof the V-shaped groove and the cylindrical recess wall 28, so that thelatter is interseeted at this same point by the bottom of the U shapedgroove. Then, the cutter is retracted along the dome axis and out ofengagement with the nozzle body 25- During the cutting movement, theouter end of the Cutter is spaced radially from the dome axis a shortdistance as shown in Big. 9. The diameter of the cutter is approximately.075 or an inch or slightly larger than the maximum spacing between thediverging orifice edges 33 so that, instead of merging precisely withthe latter adjacent the m-idpoint of 'the oritice, the parallel orificeedges 36 in this instance are offset outwardly from the diverging edgesa slight distance as shown in Figs. 8 and 15.

The substantial improvement in the distance to which liquid is thrown bythe new nozzle and in the uniformity of distribution of the liquid ascompared to the prior art nozzles is believed to be due to morefavorable sizing and proportioning of drops of different size as anincident to discharge of liquid from the orifice 32. In general, thedistance to which liquid is thrown from a nozzle is determined by thesize of the drops produced by the action of the nozzle on the liquid.That is, the drops travel a distance proportional to their size. Thus,it is believed that the shape of the improved nozzle 22 results not onlyin an increase in the size of some drops to increase the range ot thenozzle but also in proportioning the numbers of drops of different sizesto provide more even liquid distribution. In other words, a large numberof small drops are produced to cover the area adjacent the nozzle whilethe numbers of larger drops which are thrown farther diminish inproportion to the size of the drops, the largest drops being the leastin number.

Since the nozzle orifice 32 opens eccentrically or from one side of thedome-shaped recess 26, the spray pattern of the improved nozzle 22 isdischarged at an angle with respect to the dome axis. For this reason itis necessary, in order to achieve the distribution shown by the curve 23when spraying in a vertical plane, to support the im proved nozzle withits rounded end lowered and its axis tilted downwardly from thehorizontal as shown in Pig. 5, the orifice 32 ,lying in a vertical planeand opening in a horizontal direction from the dome-shaped recess 26with the U-shaped orifice end above the V-shaped end. The liquiddistribution shown by the curve 24 for horizontal spraying is achievedby raising the rounded end of the nozzle and positioning the orifice ina generally horizontal plane as shown in Pig. 6. To direct thehorizontal spray pattern in a particular direction, it is necessary tosupport the nozzle with its axis extending at a slight angle in ahorizontal plane with respect to the desired direction.

Means is provided to mount the improved nozzle 22 on a vehicle 46) tofacilitate location of the nozzle in the two positions just describedfor spraying laterally from the vehicle as the latter is moving. Thismeans comprises a hollow fitting 42`which is secured to a supply pipe:i3 and Which so positions the nozzle relative to the pipe that, whenthe latter projects horizontally from the rear of a vehicle 40 and alongthe longitudinal axis of the vehicle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thenozzle is located automatically in its vertical spraying position and,when the pipe is disposed vertically as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, :thenozzle is located automatically in its horizontal spraying position. Forthis purpose, the nozzle projects downwardly and forwardly from thefitting with its axis extending obliquely of the pipe axis and with theplane defined by the dome axis and the end points of the orifice 32disposed vertically when the pipe is disposed horizontally. Then, when`the pipe is moved into a vertical position, the nozzle automaticallyprojects upwardly and rearwardly from the fitting so that its spraypattern extends laterally from the vehicle as shown in Fig. 3.

The fitting 42 shown in the drawings is especially adapted to supporttwo of the improved nozzles 22 in symmetrical relation on opposite sidesof the pipe axis for spraying laterally in opposite directions from thevehicle 49. 'ln this instance, the fitting comprises a hollow centralbody 44 apertured at one end 45 and internally threaded to receive incoaxial relation the externally threaded pro` jecting end of the pipe43. Extending outwardly from the opposite sides of the body insymmetrical relation about the axis :of the aperture are two hollowprojections 46 whose axes extend obliquely of the aperture axis anddiverge toward the apertured end of the body. On its outer end portion,each projection terminates in an abutment 47 (Fig. '9) and is threadedexteriorly to receive a clamping nut 48. The latter is adapted toreceive the rounded end of the nozzle body 25 and has on its outer endan inturned fiange 49 engageable with the outer side of the mountingfiange 27 of the nozzle body. After the nozzle has been adjustedangularly relative to its supporting projection 46 to locate its orificein a vertical plane as described above when the axes `of the fitting andthe supply pipe are horizontal, the nnt 48 is turned down on the fittingprojection to clamp the mounting flange 27 of the nozzle 22 between thenut fiange 49 and the abutmeut 47 on the end of the projection. Toprevent leakage, suitable washers 50 may be inserted between the nozzlefiange and the abutment.

The supply pipe 43 may be mounted on the vehicle in any suitable mannerfor adjustment into either its vertical position or its horizontalposition. In this instance, the mounting comprises an adjustable clamp52 engage able with an intermediate portion of the pipe and is securedto a vertical rod 53 (Pig. l) by which barrels 54 of liquid to bedistributed are secured to a platform 55' projecting .rearwardly fromthe vehicle. At its inner end, the supply pipe is connected through amanually actuated valve 56 (Fig. 4) to a pump (not shown) which deliversliquid under pressure from the barrels to the valve.

With the supply pipe 43 clamped in its horizontal position along thelongitudinal axis of the vehicle 40 and the improved nozzles 22 securedto the fitting 42 as described above, liquid discharged under pressurefrom the nozzles Will form the spray patterns indicated at 57 in Figs. 1and 2, the distribution of liquid by each nozzle following the curve 23in Fig. ll. These patterns are disposed in the vertical planes of thenozzle orifices 32 and diverge toward the front of the Vehicle at anangle corresponding to the divergence of the axes of .the projections 46toward the apertured end 45 of the fitting body 44.

Since only a small .amount of liquid falls` directly below and adjacenteach nozzle and due to the spacing of the nozzle 'by the fitting 44, theinner ends of the patterns 57 .are separated by a small gap 58 where noliquid falls. To fill this gap, `a third nozzle 59 adapted to produce amist directed downw ardly between the patterns is added to the clusterof the two improved nozzles 22. '[he third nozzle 59, Which may be ofthe type described in Patent No. 2,621,078, is threaded into an aperturein the bottom of the fitting as shown in Pig. 5. When the third nozzle59 is `added to the cluster, its spray combines with that of each of theimproved nozzles as shown by the dotted curve 60 in Pig. 11 to provide asubstantially uniform distribution of liquid from a point directlybeneath the fitting 42 throughout the sw ath of the improved nozzle.

To condition the nozzle cluster for spraying in a horizontal plane, theclamp 52 is loosened and the supply pipe 43 is simply rotated through180 :degrees about its own axis and swung angularly through 90 degreesinto its vertical position shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the positions of theimproved nozzles 22 and the mist nozzle 59 relative to each otherremaining the same. The spray patterns 61 of the improved nozzles inthis position extend oultwardly fro-m the nozzles in a generallyhorizontal direction as shown in Pig. 3 since the axes of the nozzlesproject rearwardly. The spray of the mist nozzle 59 combines with thatof each improved nozzle to fill in the gap between the spray patterns 61and distribute liquid uniformly as shown by the dotted curve 62 in Fig.11.

From the foregoing, it Will be apparent that the results achieved withthe improved nozzle 22 'and its novel orifice 32 far exceed those ofprior art nozzles. Not only does the new nozzle throw liquid furtherthan prior nozzles in a vertical plane under similar conditionsincluding liquid pressure, but also, it distributes the liquid moreevenly throughout the area covered. Mo-reover, the new nozzle issubstantially as effective When &praying in a horizontal plane.

I claim as my invention: l. A spray nozzle comprising a body having aninternal recess :defined by a Wall .including lan outwardly our/ingarcuate portion, external surfaces on said body intersect-` ing saidwall along lines defining an el ongated orifice ex tending around saidarcuate wall portion and having a LI-shaped end portion and a V-shalpedend portion, the edges of .said V-shaped end portion diverging towardsaid U-shaped end portion and the laterally spaced defining edges of:the U-shaped portion being spaced apart a distance greater than themaximum spacing of the diverging edges and connected to the latter alongtransverse lines of interseetion extending inwardly from the ends of thespaced edges of the U-shaped end portion to the diverg ing edges.

2. A spray nozzle comprising a body having an internal recess defined bya Wall including an outwardly curving arcuate portion, external surfaceson said body defining a groove V-shaped cross section and intersectingsaid arcuate portion of said wall to define a V-shaped end portion of anelongated orifice, and other external surfaces on said body defining agroove of U-shaped cross section and intersecting said wall to definethe other end portion :of said orifice which is U-shaped, the divergingdefining edges of said V-shaped end portion of said orifice terrninatingat points intermediate the orifice ends and said other end portionhaving laterally spaced defin ing edges terminating 'adjacent hut spacedoutwardly from the ends of the diverging edges.

3. A spray nozzle comprising a body having an internal recess defined bya wall including an outwardly curved portion, external surfaces on saidbody intersecting said Wall along :lines defining an elongated orificeextending around said arcuate wall portion and having a Vms-haped endand a U s'haped end, the width of said orifice from said V-shaped end tosaid U-shaped end first increasing gradually -to a point intermediatethe ends, then increasing abruptly to a greater Width, and finallyremaining constant at the greater Width throughout the remainder of theorifice length 'to the U-shaped end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,246,866 Stribling et al. June 24, 1941 2,597,727 Hanson May 20, 19522,618,509 Carlson Nov. 18, 1952 2,619,388 Wahlin Nov. 25, 1952 2,621,078Wahlin Dec. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 78,100 Norway Feb. 12, 1951

